Move to further focus on dynamic product ads would steer users to retailers’ sites instead of staying on social-media service

Twitter Inc. on Wednesday confirmed it is curtailing an advertisement effort that encouraged people to purchase products from merchants without leaving the social-media service.

In September 2014, Twitter began testing ads with a button that select U.S. merchants sell their wares directly on Twitter. The hope was these ads could transform Twitter into something of a virtual shopping mall and drive new advertising revenue. They opened up the ad to U.S. merchants of all sizes the following year.